This weekend’s highlights include the return of spellbinding one-man theatre show The Book of Loco, a SALA event featuring street artist Vans the Omega, and the Barossa’s celebration of all things gourmet.

Cabaret performer Mark Nadler is back in town with shows at La Boheme, you can catch punk/rock/soul group The BellRays at The Gov, and it’s also the last chance to see State Theatre Company’s production of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal.

The Book of Loco

This one-man show which proves “sometimes you have to go mad in order to stay sane” is being presented by Windmill Theatre at the Adelaide Festival Centre’s Space Theatre. The Book of Loco is written by and stars Venezuelan-Australian Alirio Zavarce and tells of his real-life experiences, set against the backdrop of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York. First presented at the 2013 Adelaide Fringe, it is back for a return season especially aimed at teenagers and their families, with performances tonight and tomorrow (August 14-15) and August 20-22.

Barossa … Be Consumed Gourmet Weekend

This three-day celebration of Barossa food, wine and music features ticketed and non-ticketed events, including long lunches, cooking classes, wine master-classes, markets, cellar-door events and family activities. The Greenock Gourmet market will take over the Greenock Town Oval on Sunday from 10am until 4pm, and Beccy Cole and Libby O’Donovan will be presenting their concert The Cowgirl and the Showgirl at Seppeltsfield on Sunday evening. Find out about other Gourmet Weekend events on the official website.

Mark Nadler in a Nutshell

New York-based cabaret singer, pianist  and comedian Mark Nadler (pictured right) – a familiar face from the Adelaide Cabaret Festival in years past – is back in the city for a series of shows at La Boheme in Grote Street. The former Helpmann Award nominee is performing tonight (Friday) and tomorrow (matinee and evening performances).

SALA Festival

Street artist Vans the Omega will be completing a large mural on the side of Beach Burrito on Jetty Road during tomorrow’s Colour The Streets SALA party in Glenelg, which will feature a pop-up bar and DJs. There will also be a special SALA in the Garden event from 10.30am until 4.30pm on Sunday in the Soldiers Memorial Garden at Unley, featuring artist demonstrations, music, workshops, food, wine and coffee. More than 5000 artists are exhibiting their work in hundreds of venues across the state throughout August as part of the South Australian Living Artists Festival, with the full program online.

SALA at Tandanya

Tandanya last night officially opened its two SALA exhibitions, including an “experimental and colour-blasted extravaganza” by artists Amanda Radomi and Henry Jock Walker. Titled The Expanding Field of RAWH, the pair’s show explores identity and cultural politics though a multi-media installation comprising paintings, videos, flags and sculptures. Kym Kropinyeri’s The  Apple Doesn’t Fall Far From the Tree features paintings that draw on both his experiences of Ngarrindjeri cultural life and his overseas travels. Both shows continue until September 26.

Mandala Head – RAWH Team.

Betrayal – State Theatre

Harold Pinter’s Betrayal begins after the end of an affair, then proceeds in reverse to reveal how the three central characters – Emma, Robert and Robert’s best friend Jerry – ended up where they are today. With a cast including Alison Bell, Nathan O’Keefe and Mark Saturno, the State Theatre Company of SA is presenting Betrayal at the Dunstan Playhouse until August 15. Read InDaily review here.

Treasure Ships: Art in the Age of Spices

Exploring the cultural and spiritual exchange between Europe and Asia during the era of the spice trade, this exhibition at the Art Gallery of South Australia comprises around 300 works including paintings, furniture, textiles, ceramics and engravings. It is imbued with stories of adventure, shipwrecks, piracy and treasure, and is showing at the gallery until August 30. Click here for a list of associated gallery events this weekend.

Intimate Relations – Mercury Cinema

This new series of films curated by filmmaker Sophie Hyde (Closer Productions) opens tonight at the Mercury Cinema with Appropriate Behaviour, American-Iranian director, writer and actor Desiree Akhavan’s autobiographical film about her life as a bisexual Persian woman in New York. For a list of the other films – all by female filmmakers on the rise – that will be showing over the coming weeks, click here.

A scene from Appropriate Behaviour.

Country Gold

This three-hour concert at Her Majesty’s Theatre on Saturday night promises a feast of Country Gold, including “heartbreakers, contemporary classics, ballads and bluegrass”. A line-up of South Australian artists headlined by Amber Joy Poulton and Sandra Humphries will pay tribute to classic country artists such as Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Glen Campbell, Slim Dusty, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline and Tammy Wynette.

Gilles Street Market

More than 90 stalls will be selling clothing and accessories – including vintage items and creations by South Australian designers – at the Gilles Street Market this Sunday. The market is held at the Gilles Street Primary School in the city from 10am until 4pm, and also features DJs and food stalls.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf

The University of Adelaide Theatre Guild has taken on the classic roller-coaster domestic drama Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf for its latest production. “Drop in for drinks” at the Little Theatre, on the university’s North Terrace campus, where performances continue until August 22 (excluding Sundays).

The BellRays – Rockpocalypse

Californian group The BellRays play a combo of punk, rock and soul, with the tagline “Punk is the preacher … blues is the teacher”. They draw on influences ranging from Stevie Wonder and The Who to Billie Holliday and Led Zeppelin to create music with an irresistible energy and are currently travelling around Australia on their Rockpocalypse tour, with a gig tonight at The Gov.

Samstag Museum of Art

Two exhibitions are currently showing at the Samstag Museum of Art. Birth of the Cool comprises works by four painters (David Aspden, Sydney Ball, Michael Johnson and Dick Watkins) from the decade 1963-73, considered a golden era of avant-garde art in Australia. Geoff Wilson: Interrogated Landscape, features more than 70 works recognising the lifetime achievement of the South Australian artist. Both exhibitions continue until September 18.

Forbidden Broadway – Blackwood Players

Opening this weekend, the Blackwood Players’ latest theatrical production is described as a “funny roast of Broadway”, presenting a tribute to some of the theatre’s greatest stars and songwriters. With cabaret-style seating and a cash bar, Forbidden Broadway is playing at the Blackwood Memorial Hall until August 15.

Endless Pleasure – Carrick Hill

This exhibition at historic Carrick Hill’s new Australian Museum of Gardening presents a history of gardening and gardens through paintings, prints, decorative arts and ornaments, along with a collection of gardening implements. The exhibition continues until November 29 at Carrick Hill (46 Carrick Hill Drive, Springfield), which is open from 10am until 4.30pm Wednesday to Sunday.

Nature Photographer of the Year

The natural beauty of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea is celebrated through the Australian Geographic ANZANG Nature Photographer of the Year exhibition, showing at the South Australian Museum until August 30. It showcases the stunning images captured by finalists in the annual competition across categories including animal portrait, animal behaviour, landscape, botanical and threatened species. You can take a peek online here.

On screen

See InDaily’s reviews of the latest films screening in Adelaide:

Trainwreck
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation
Far From Men
Mr Holmes
Ruben Guthrie